It was a pretty good effort: Anderson

James Anderson came up with a fine bowling performance on Day 1 of the third Test at the Eden Gardens, claiming 3/68 from 21 overs to leave India in a spot of bother ay 273/7.

Anderson accounted for Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar before getting through Ravichandran Ashwin's defence towards the end of the day. The pacer was happy with England's performance and said the visitors have done a good job by getting seven wickets.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Anderson said: "Seven wickets and keeping them to three an over is a pretty good effort for us, losing the toss again. Obviously you expect a good batting pitch on the first day - and it was that - and I think we've done very well to get seven wickets."

Anderson used the old ball well, getting a lot of reverse swing which resulted in the dismissals of Kohli and Tendulkar. Anderson said England were aware that reverse swing will play a big part.

"We knew it was going to play a part out here - it usually does - and today we were really pleased that we managed to get some wickets with it," he said.

Anderson said Tendulkar's wicket was crucial for England as the batsman was looking set for a big knock. "The important thing today was that it was a really crucial wicket. It looked like he was in a bit of form. He'd just started to get going and it was crucial wicket at a crucial time for us."

Anderson, who dismissed Tendulkar for the 8th time in 13 Tests, said: "You need to bowl a cluster of good balls at him, and hope for the best."

Anderson also praised wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who took a low one-handed catch which resulted in Tendulkar's dismissal. "It was a great effort. On these tracks catches behind the wicket sometimes come low and quick and Prior did well to hang on."

Anderson revealed that he started practising the art of reverse swing after watching Zaheer Khan's stupendous success during India's tour of England back in 2007.

"I remember a few years back, in the last tour in 2007, Zaheer did get a lot of reverse swing. That's when I started practising it. There is a shiny side, and if the batsman knows which side it is, it makes it a lot easier for them. It proved to be a good skill," Anderson

Anderson said the Eden Gardens wicket was a good batting track but the bowlers could also get some assistance if they bend their backs. "I felt like it was a pretty good wicket to bowl on, quite easy-paced for the batsmen, I think, but if you bent your back you got a bit out of it. It reverse-swung a little bit for us as well, but the the guys that have got on it - the batsmen that have got in on it - have played pretty well."

"We'll wait and see. It's hard to judge a pitch on one day. You've obviously got to wait and see what happens over the next couple of days. Like I say, I think it's a decent pitch and we'll be looking to try and bowl them out early on and make some runs in our first innings," he added.

Monty Panesar also bowled well picking up the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Gautam Gambhir. He celebrate the dismissals by doing a jig. Speaking about it, Anderson said: "It's interesting, isn't it? He seems to come out with a new celebration every game. As long as he's taking wickets then he can do what he wants to be honest."